Reunion Tour
by Toku
Summary: This is my second fic first I have since deleted, but the ideas of both are the same but it is technically the first I plan to keep updated. This fic deals with the events after Halo 2 and how I think Halo 3 will be tying in some of Halo 3's plot. Enjoy!
1. Return

Reunion Tour

Chapter 1

_"Sir…finishing this fight."_

The wispy words stayed in the Master Chiefs head. The Chief had his doubts as to those words, but he could not fail. He knew that failure ultimately meant the extinction of the human race and quite possibly all sentient life in the universe. The Chief was without a plan, without any weaponry, and without Cortana. He was in reach of Truth, but at the same time so far away.

The hull of the Forerunner ship began to rattle immensely. The Chief began to pick up signals from the remaining UNSC orbital defense stations. The rattling continued, growing more powerful with every passing second. The Chief knew he was in Earth's atmosphere; it was just a matter of time.

The rattling came to a halt. Sounds of decompressing air and machinery filled the ship. The Chief waited for it to be quiet again before he would make his move. After a minute or so, the noise ceased.

"I wonder where Truth decided to land. Could there already be a Covenant rally point? Are we in a city or open area? What should I expect when I exit this ship?"

These questions flew through the Chiefs head quickly. He prepared for an angry greeting by the Covenant. The door opened and sunlight flooded the room. The Chief waited a moment for his eyes to adjust to the sun and for his suit and body to adjust to Earth's gravity and environment. Once he got a feel of Earth again, the Chief slowly stepped outside.

Looking around, the Chief instantly realized that he was back in New Mombasa, but it no longer looked 'new'. Few buildings stood while the rest was just a pile of debris. The bridge was only partially standing and the debris of UNSC and Covenant vehicles littered the ruins of New Mombasa. Various squads of Banshee aircraft patrolled the city.

He stepped further outside of the ship and found a working television in the broken window of an electronic shop. A news station was showing images of Brutes stomping down the streets, battles between Earth's UNSC forces and the Covenant, the destruction of the White House and various other political houses on Earth and the first landings of the invasion. It was clear that the Covenant now controlled Earth. The Chief had to do something, if he was to save Earth and humanity.

The Chief could not find Truth or any trace of Covenant around the Forerunner ship so he felt safe enough. He moved further from the ship, searching for any weapons or anything that could be of use to him. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted something glowing blue. He walked over to it and found a dead Elite with a Plasma Rifle on the body. He picked up the weapon carefully. From the looks of the body, the Elite had been dead for a while, probably KIA when the Chief fought off a small Covenant force a month back.

His next move came almost instantly to him.

"I remember seeing a downed Pelican somewhere along the coastline. If I can get to it and get it working, I might be able to really see where the Covenant are and why they are here." the Chief thought. The Chief also knew he would also need some weapons and gear modifications before he would take on the entire Covenant alone.

Another idea popped into the Chief's head. He quickly ran off to the coastline to find the downed Pelican.


	2. Delta

Chapter 2 – Delta

0700 hours, May 21, 2552 (Military Calendar) \

Delta Halo, unknown system

Sgt. Avery Johnson lit another cigar. He was back on the Scarab right outside of Delta Halo's activation center. His light, black skin gleamed in the rising sunlight and his various medals of honor sparkled. His face was covered in wrinkles and scars from battles past. His chin had started to become an unkempt mess as a rugged beard started to grow. He took a quick sigh, and then put the cigar between his lips.

Miranda Keyes paced back and forth in Delta Halo's control room as the Oracle floats overhead. She held a mobile radio in her left hand. Stopping, she clicked the radio on.

"Any UNSC forces left on Delta Halo, respond. This is Miranda Keyes. I repeat any UNSC forces left on or in the vicinity of Delta Halo please respond." She waited. Moments later, a garbled response came in over her radio. The signal suddenly died. "It is hopeless." she thought. She threw the radio and kicked it over the edge of the platform.

Meanwhile, the Arbiter spoke to the remaining Elites, near Tartarus's defeated body. His Elites were very high class, suited in gold, orange, and silver armor, all with ornate characteristics to their armor. Some held the favorite weapon of the Elites, Plasma Rifles, while others were equip with Energy Swords and Carbine Rifles.

"My brothers, we are no longer a part of the Covenant scum. The Prophets abandoned us for the Brutes. Their decision was not wise, as you all see. With Tartarus dead, Truth is alone to attempt control of the Brutes. This Great Journey has been a lie all along. Truth wants to activate each Halo ring, but that only leads to all sentient life in the universe being destroyed. We were deceived, and it will not happen again." Cheering from the remaining Elites filled the hallow room. "We will side ourselves with these two humans and their allies. This may finally bring the war to a close." More cheering erupted.

Johnson stepped into the room to see the Elites and few remaining marines assembled along side the Arbiter and Miranda. He threw his cigar to the ground and stepped on it.

"Listen up! Tartarus is defeated and Delta Halo is inactive for now. According to the Oracle, the Ark is on Earth. It will be our new mission, a combined effort of the UNSC and the Elites, to get to Earth and protect the Ark. We must make sure no one activates any more of these rings." He glanced over at the Arbiter and the Elites. "Do not expect a welcome party either. According to my only transmission to the Master Chief, Truth and his Brute army are heading Earth searching for the Ark, so it will be our goal to stop him." He paused for a moment. The Arbiter quickly spoke to his Elites. He turned and nodded to Johnson. "Alright, men, move out!" The Elites and humans alike followed Johnson outside. They were beamed up into _Shadow of Intent_, the ship used by the Arbiter to get to Delta Halo.

Johnson took one final look at Delta Halo before they jumped into slip space. After a sigh of relief, he lit up another cigar.


	3. Mongoose

Chapter 3 – Mongoose

0955 hours, May 21, 2552 (Military Calendar) \

New Mombasa, Earth

The Master Chief knew that he was far from the downed Pelican. He also knew that there would be a chance of no Pelican at all. The Chief also knew that there could be Covenant on the ground in addition to the ones in the air, so he had to be cautious. He clipped the Plasma Rifle to his waist and began heading to the shore.

"In all of my time being a Spartan, I have never seen any of this" he thought as he passed the mangled corpses of Covenant soldiers and UNSC forces alike. He walked past destroyed buildings and smashed cars. Bullet cases, empty magazines and discarded weapons littered the ground and the blood of both factions had been smeared everywhere. It had become a war zone.

After about an hour of walking, the Chief came across something. He had found a 4-wheel bike with armor like a Warthog. _UNSC _was painted in small lettering on the front while _Mongoose _was painted on the back. An Assault Rifle and clips of ammunition were strapped to the side. The Chief decided it must have been a new vehicle that had not made its way to any of the UNSC ships. The Chief hopped into the Mongoose and quickly looked over the controls.

"Steering seems very standard. It is probably _ONI_'s version of a Covenant Ghost. This should get me to the beach quickly" he thought. He took the Assault Rifle and strapped it to his back and then put the ammo clips into the very small compartment in the back. He lightly tapped the pedal and the Mongoose jolted forward. It seemed like a very fast vehicle, but the Chief eventually got a feel for it. He was moving down the streets of New Mombasa in no time.

The Chief kept thinking back to Delta Halo. He kept thinking of Cortana and why she would want to stay behind. He did not want to leave her, but it was her choice. Thoughts of going back to Delta Halo and getting her back crossed his mind a few times. What if she already destroyed the ring? What if she could not detonate _In Amber Clad_'s reactor? What if she is gone? The Chief shook his head and let the thoughts go away. He had a mission, and that mission was to save Earth and finish the fight. But could he do it without Cortana? He was not certain. He just had to focus on getting to the Pelican, he would figure out his next plan after he reached the _ONI _HQ on Earth, if it still existed.

The Chief had finally reached the midpoint, a break in the city where there had been a beautiful park. The park had turned into a barren field, where trees were splintered and boot marks covered the ground. The Chief just had to go a little bit further and he would reach the Pelican.

Suddenly, 3 shadows passed over head. His stomach lurched as he heard 3 screaming engines turn back towards him, closing in.


	4. Interrogation

Chapter 4 – Interrogation

1700 hours, May 19, 2552 (Military Calendar) \

High Charity, Delta Halo's system (Unknown)

The corridors of High Charity were silent with the exception of broken doors failing to close and the noises from the computers around the city. It was a wreck; bodies of various ex-Covenant and Covenant alike remained littered around the halls. Sacs containing the Flood festered through out the great rooms of the torn city. Various Flood Infection and Combat forms raced through the halls to find their next meal.

Cortana moved about High Charity's system looking at the data in the city's computers. She had ultimately failed to set off _In Amber Clad_'s reactor so she was stuck. It had been two weeks since she made that promise to the Master Chief. She would have to keep working until she found a way to destroy Delta Halo and High Charity, both now rampant with the Flood infestation. It was her duty to stop the Flood. If she did not, if that promise was not kept, humanity would forever be lost. She looked around the files stored in the computer when she suddenly felt a strange presence. Two infectious tendrils crept towards her. A chilling voice called out to her

"_I have been awakened from eternal slumber. So many questions have come to me. Now I must ask and YOU shall listen."_

Cortana took no time to reply

"Alright. Shoot."


	5. Chase

Chapter 5 – Chase

1020 hours, May 21, 2552 (Military Calendar) \

New Mombasa, Earth

The roaring continued. The Chief had no time to look around but he knew exactly what it was. A squadron of Banshee fighters had found him among the ruins of the city.

"Damn" he said under his breath, "They must have picked up on the loud engine."

He passed through a once large alleyway, now littered with debris. There was nothing but shadows and the eerie glow of his pursuers. The Chief scrambled to think of an idea as he evaded the persistent Banshees. He was quickly running out of city and would soon hit a short strip of desert and a nearby forest.

"Perfect. The thick cover of the forest will provide a place to hide."

He pressed the gas of the Mongoose hard and sped off, but that did not stop the Brutes and their Banshees. They chased off after him.

1050 hours, May 21, 2552 (Military Calendar) \

Aboard Covenant ship, _The Prophet_, New Mombasa, Earth

The Prophet of Truth hovered in his chair. A brute, decorated with a giant headpiece and elaborate armor, both dark orange in color. On his back rested a large hammer and at his sides hung two hilted Plasma Rifles.

"What progress have you made on the excavation of the Ark?" Truth questioned.

"Sir, we are almost there. In two more days the Ark will be fully uncovered and the Great Journey can commence."

"Excellent. We will soon be with the Gods." He paused for a moment. "What of the Demon, chieftain? I sensed he was on the Forerunner ship when we hit Earth's orbit."

Another brute, with no armor, save for a very small headpiece and a thin blue chest plate, ran in.

"Truth, I just received a report from one of our Banshee squadrons. They have spotted the Demon heading west of the city we first landed in. They got him as he reached the forest to the east of the Ark. They lost his body as it fell into the forest, but they are certain he is dead."

Truth pondered for a moment.

"Thank you. May the Great Journey lead you far." The brute bowed and headed back out the door. "Chieftain, make sure that the Demon does not live to breathe another breath. I want you to take a large group of Covenant just east of here into that forest, find the Demon, and kill him at all costs!"

"Sir, yes sir!" The chieftain saluted Truth and turned towards the door and signaled the guards to come with him. The chieftain sent out the call and headed to the armory where his recon team would wait for his instruction.

1040 hours, May 21, 2552 (Military Calendar) \

Outskirts of New Mombasa, Earth

He finally reached the strip of desert and could see the forest. He weaved in and out of what was left of the giant tower that had stood in New Mombasa only months before. The Banshees, still in pursuit, began firing on the Chief. He dodged with ease, swerving left and right through the burning sand.

He reached the edge of the desert and could see the forest below him. He was reaching a steep cliff he would have to jump in order to escape the Banshees. Ready to make the jump, the Chief began to go forward when he heard a voice.

"_Would you sacrifice me to complete your mission? Would you let me die?"_

Cortana, I will save you. And in that brief moment of remembrance, he lost control of the Mongoose right before the jump. He flew off the edge and let go completely of the vehicle. The Banshees closed in. The middle Banshee fired its fuel rod cannon at the Chief. The green mass of plasma flew toward the Chief. The same voice bounced into his head.

"_Don't make a promise, if you know you can't keep it."_

The burst connected with his back. His shields discharged and he felt a cool gel surround his body. His HUD software went black. He lost all conscience as he began to fall half a kilometer into the thick forest.

"_I know you…your past…your future."_


	6. Allegiance

Chapter 6 – Allegiance

1100 hours, May 21, 2552 (Military Calendar) \

UNSC base _Crow's Nest_, Africa

Sgt. Avery Johnson, Commander Miranda Keyes and the Arbiter stepped out into the African heat. The sun was glaring down at them. Far off a waterfall crashed into the river below it. The calls from Africa's many exotic animals could be heard from every possible angle. The gentle breeze caused the low hanging branches of the trees sway back and forth slowly. Johnson, Keyes and the Arbiter stepped out into the hanger where marines stood watching, wondering. The rebel elites and surviving marines followed them.

The marines in the hangar were unloading the Pelicans that had just arrived this morning. They carried ammunition and supplies for the invasion. Most of the hangar looked very old from the architecture to the technology.

"This base was built when the war with the Covenant reached Reach." Johnson explained to Miranda and the Arbiter. "ONI was afraid that with Reach destroyed, the Covenant would have no problem finding Earth. So, they sent out teams of marines still stationed on Earth to build these various bases. They had maybe fifty total constructed. They had been in disuse since their creation. You see, after Commander Jacob Keyes fled Reach with the Master Chief, the majority of the Covenant forces followed. Once Halo was found, the attention of the Covenant was fully directed toward Halo. Now that the war has finally come to Earth, the marines began coming back to these bases to prepare for war."

The marines in the hangar gawked at the Arbiter and elites. Disgust, anger and hatred filled each marines face as they continued walking. The safety clicked off on an assault rifle. Johnson turned around and saw a marine aiming straight for the Arbiters head.

"Stand down marine!" Johnson barked. "The elites are with us now. The entire Covenant turned their backs on them. They seek revenge on the Prophet of Truth and that is why they are here."

The group of marines broke off into the base while the elites, at the Arbiters word, headed back inside _The Great Journey_.

"Shipmaster, I plan on staying here with the humans for a little while. Take the elites somewhere safe. I will contact you if the need arises, but for now just stay away from the humans. I do not want any harm to come to either side."

The Shipmaster nodded quietly and headed back into the ship.

"We need to go to the command center immediately so I can contact Lord Hood and explain the happenings of Delta Halo. He will not be too particularly happy about the elites, so take it easy Arbiter." Miranda said. "Johnson, I have a mission for you and the Arbiter."

"Ma'am?" Johnson questioned. "What mission would that be?"

"Search and rescue, sergeant." She answered. "He should be near, but I'm not sure where and what condition he could be in. But he needs to be found, Truth must not be allowed to find him first. Take two squads of marines and two Pelicans and search for him in the areas surrounding New Mombasa."

"How do you know he is anywhere near us? He could be back on Delta Halo or High Charity or god knows where." Johnson retorted.

"The Demon is here. I can sense it." Arbiter stated. "He cannot be allowed to die by Truths hand, only by mine."

"The Chief will not die while you are here, Arbiter." Johnson said. "Relax Arbiter. The Chief wants Truth dead as much as you do. He's fighting for humanty's sake, just as you are fighting for the sake of your race. If he were to die, that would only lead to the rise of more Spartans. He is a symbol of hope for every UNSC marine and every civilian. You both are fighting now for the same thing, the fate of your people. Besides, the Chief is too stubborn to die."

The Arbiter and Johnson stood in silence.

"Move out sergeant. That's an order." Miranda barked. "I'll be heading up to the command center to talk to Lord Hood."

"Yes ma'am." Johnson saluted. "Marines, get yo' lazy asses over here, double time!" About twenty marines stood at attention in front of Johnson. "Split into two squads and load up. We have a package to receive and deliver back here in one piece. Sierra 117 is somewhere in this forest and we have to find him. So, move out!" he barked.

"Sir, yes sir!" the marines shouted in unison. They loaded into the two Pelican drop ships hovering in the hangar. Johnson and Arbiter were the last to load up. The hatch closed and the Pelicans took off into the horizon.


	7. Corruption

Chapter 7 – Corruption

1900 hours, May 19, 2552 (Military Calendar) \

High Charity, Delta Halo's system (Unknown)

Cortana gasped in horror. A look of utter fright crossed her face. The Gravemind's tentacles flailed about the room and a monotonous laugh echoed about the room. The working lights flickered and the computers shut off and on constantly.

"_You heard me, a Flood army capable of destroying an entire planet. When the fool Truth discovers and activates the portal on Earth, he will be drawn to the real Forerunner construct. A ship, filled with a few spores of the Flood, will be warped to Earth. While your "Demon" and the "Arbiter" are distracted with each other, the spores will begin the infection. Soon enough, the Flood army will grow and devour humanity."_

"That will never work." Cortana began. "The Chief has fought off the infection before. On the original Halo, he fought tooth and nail to stop the infection from spreading. If you think he will let it slip by him, you are wrong."

"_That is why I will use you as bait. You see, I have now grown into this city. I control it entirely. If my plan does not work out, you are my backup."_

"What do you mean?" she questioned.

"_It is apparent to me that you and the "Demon" share a strong bond. I watched him on Delta Halo and while he was here. He did not want to let you stay here for fear of losing you. What reason would he have to stay on Earth if you became endangered, lost in another galaxy? Would he come for you and sacrifice humanity?"_

"No, the Chief would never do that. He would take care of the Flood and stop Truth from activating the Ark and the other rings. Those would be his priorities. A Spartan always finishes the mission and never turns back. Even if I am not with him, he always has me when ever he needs me; he knows that, so rescuing me would be pointless." Cortana looked down and was silent.

"_Are you sure?"_

Cortana kept her eyes to the ground, staying silent.

"_Be that as it may, you remain a vital part in my plans."_

His tentacles started closing in on Cortana. They wrapped around her and began to dig into her virtual body. She screamed in pain. The Gravemind laughed as she tried to resist it. Cortana continued struggling, trying to break free. She finally got control of her arm and in a moment of absolute pain, she touched the panel beneath her. The screen behind her lit up with a message:

MESSAGE RECORDED

SIGNAL SENT TO FLAGSHIP _THE LAUGHING POLTERGIEST_

She saw the message and gave in completely to the Gravemind.

"_I knew you would lose your will eventually. It proves that you are weak, that your "Demon" is weak, humanity is weak. They will never stand a chance, they never had."_ He chuckled. _"This…is the way the world ends."_

Gravemind sent another tentacle to a computer. Another message appeared on the screen:

COMMAND RECEIVED

FLAGSHIP _THE LAUGHING POLTERGIEST_ HAS BEEN LAUNCHED

COORDINATES: EARTH

Cortana lay helplessly on the panel. Her will gone, all strength sapped. She was alone and could do nothing. She closed her eyes.

"_Chief…hurry."_


	8. Sierra 117

Chapter 8 – Sierra 117

1100 hours, May 23, 2552 (Military Calendar) \

_Sierra, _outside New Mombasa, Africa

"It has been two days since we started this mission, and the Chief is no where to be found" said Sgt. Johnson after taking a short sigh. "Damn, that fool. He always did jump without warning. Where are you Chief?"

The Pelicans took another pass over the forest, codenamed Sierra by the UNSC. The forest was given this name after Commander Jack Sierra II. He was a major part in the later invasions of Earth's colonies, and he fought bravely on Reach and died during the glassing of the planet. The nearby town of Voi was also named after a UNSC figure. Sergeant James "Voi" Anderson took part in the very first Covenant invasions of Earth's colonies, including the events on Harvest, the human's first contact with the Covenant. They were both Africans, who both grew up in New Mombasa before leaving to join the army. They both joined seven years before the events at Harvest.

"Sir, we have contacts – multiples Phantoms, and they appear to be completely ignoring us" shouted a pilot from the cockpit.

"Keep the search up" barked Johnson. "The Chief will not find himself."

1200 hours, May 23, 2552 (Military Calendar) \

Aboard Covenant ship, _The Prophet_

Truth looked into the large viewing screen in the middle of the large command room. The screen showed multiple Brute ships flying around the Forerunner artifact. They were all firing lasers down into the surrounding rock, as if they were glassing that specific area, only they were not trying to glass anything. They were simply digging for the Ark. Hundreds of Phantoms escorted by squads of Banshee aircraft passed the various ships, flying into the surrounding areas, most likely looking to recover the Master Chief or suppress the UNSC attacks to try and stop Truth.

"All is going well" he said as he touched his finger tips together. "Soon, the Journey will begin and we will gain our salvation."

1210 hours, May 23, 2552 (Military Calendar) \

_Sierra, _outside New Mombasa, Africa

"Sgt. Johnson, take a look at this" a pilot shouted from the cockpit of the Pelican.

Johnson put out a cigar and walked into the cockpit.

"Look at the screen. There is a marker in this small clearing, but it not showing as a friendly, or an enemy. But there is something down there all right."

"Take her down pilot" Johnson said with a sense of relief in his voice.

Johnson's Pelican began the descent into the clearing below, and Arbiter's Pelican followed suit. Johnson, Arbiter and the marines jumped out. There was a small pond and there were absolutely no trees in the small half-kilometer area. There were signs of something impacting the Earth and dragging for a few hundred meters. Bits and pieces of machinery littered the ground. The group walked to the cause of the impact, a green suit of armor, locked with its arms in a position that looked like they were driving. There were multiple plasma scorings on the armor.

Johnson and the other marines looked down in sadness. Earth's hero was lying before them, unconscious or dead, either way he was not moving.

"Sergeant, I will move up a little bit and go into cloaking. I smell Brute scum in the area, and they must know we are here. Be cautious" Arbiter said as he moved away. He cloaked and then there was nothing, just the silence of the forest and a fallen hero.

"This does not look good" said one marine quietly. "It looks like he fell, but how far I do not know."

"Half-kilometer, easily" another marine said. "Why is his armor all…"

"Stay sharp marines!" barked Johnson. "Corporal, give me an assessment."

"Sir, it looks like he did indeed fall about a half-kilometer. There are various plasma scorings on his armor and the surrounding area is littered with Mongoose parts, so it looks like he was being chased" the corporal said. "It seems as if the gel layer of his armor activated sometime in the middle of the fall. It probably went into lock due to the impact with the ground. It could have been enough to save him, but a half-kilometer fall is near impossible to survive, even if you were to be wearing the MJOLNIR armor. I don't know Sergeant." The Corporal overrided the lock on the armor and the Chief's arms fell down to the ground.

Sergeant Johnson kneeled down next to the Chief, and sighed. He shook his head and reached around to the back of his helmet. He located the part of his helmet that allowed for his A.I., Cortana, to be inserted and taken out. He removed the chip from the slot and got up. "Corporal, radio in for VTOL, heavy lift gear" he said. "We aren't leaving him here."

An arm reached up and grabbed Johnson's arm. "No, you aren't" the Chief said as he got up. He reached for the chip that Johnson held in his hand and grabbed it.

"Damnit Chief" Johnson said in disbelif. "Do you ever think before you jump? Someday you are going to land on something as thick as you are." He looked at the A.I. chip in Chief's hand. "Where is she Chief? Where's Cortana?"

He looked down at the chip in his hand and inserted it in his helmet. "She…she stayed behind."

Johnson looked down at the ground and then back at the Chief. He grabbed an Assault Rifle from a nearby marine and gave it to the Chief. The Corporal returned in front of the Chief. "Your armor is still in partial lock down Chief" he said. "Let me do some quick tests to make sure you can move fine."

"I am fine, Corporal" the Chief said. He moved his legs and arms around a little bit to make sure his body was working right. He moved his head around and noticed something creeping towards them. The figure moved behind Sergeant Johnson and the Chief raced forward. He held his Assult Rifle up under the head of the figure. The cloaking disappeared and the Arbiter stood, the Chief looking right at him, Assult Rifle at the ready.

"Chief, no!" Johnson cried out. "The Arbiter is with us now. We already have enough to worry about without you two trying to kill eachother."

The Chief backed off and Arbiter snapped at him. "Were it so easy" he said. "We must move quickly, the Brutes have our scent."

"You heard him, marines" Johnson began "Move out!"

**Author Note: So, I lied a little bit. I got most of my work done and decided to go ahead and do Chapter 8. I will be starting the split PoV chapters with Chapter 9. Thanks and enjoy!**

**Author Note: Getting a bit backed up with school, sorry there has not been new content. I hope to get some time this weekend to work on it.**


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